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$Unique_ID{COW03441}
$Pretitle{439}
$Title{Suriname
Statistical Profile of Suriname}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Central Intelligence Agency}
$Affiliation{United States Government}
$Subject{km
rate
million
bauxite
national
suriname
surinamese
total
area
november}
$Date{1990}
$Log{National Anthem*73000010.aud
Map of Suriname*0344101.scf
Flag of Suriname*0344102.scf
}
Country: Suriname
Book: CIA World Factbook
Author: Central Intelligence Agency
Affiliation: United States Government
Date: 1990
[Hear National Anthem]
[See Map of Suriname]
[See Flag of Suriname]
Statistical Profile of Suriname
Geography
Total area: 163,270 km2; land area: 161,470 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries: 1,707 km total; Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km,
Guyana 600 km
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime claims:
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claims area in French Guiana between Litani Rivier and
Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); claims area in Guyana between
New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Kutari Rivers (all headwaters of the
Courantyne)
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Natural resources: timber, hydropower potential, fish, shrimp,
bauxite, iron ore, and modest amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold
Land use: NEGL% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; NEGL% meadows and
pastures; 97% forest and woodland; 3% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: mostly tropical rain forest
People
Population: 401,497 (July 1989), growth rate 1.6% (1989)
Birth rate: 27 births/1,000 population (1989)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1989)
Net migration rate: - 4 migrants/1,000 population (1989)
Infant mortality rate: 40 deaths/1,000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 71 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 3.0 children born/woman (1989)
Nationality: noun--Surinamer(s); adjective--Surinamese
Ethnic divisions: 37.0% Hindustani (East Indian), 31.0% Creole (black and
mixed), 15.3% Javanese, 10.3% Bush black, 2.6% Amerindian, 1.7% Chinese,
1.0% Europeans, 1.1% other
Religion: 27.4% Hindu, 19.6% Muslim, 22.8% Roman Catholic,
25.2% Protestant (predominantly Moravian), about 5% indigenous beliefs
Language: Dutch (official); English widely spoken; Sranan Tongo
(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki) is native language of Creoles and much
of the younger population and is lingua franca among others; also Hindi
Suriname Hindustani (a variant of Bhoqpuri), and Javanese
Literacy: 65%
Labor force: 104,000 (1984)
Organized labor: 49,000 members of labor force
Government
Long-form name: Republic of Suriname
Type: republic
Capital: Paramaribo
Administrative divisions: 10 districts (districten, singular--district);
Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands; formerly Netherlands
or Dutch Guiana)
Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987
Legal system: judicial system functions in ordinary civil and criminal
cases
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Branches: executive--president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly; legislative--National Assembly has 51 members elected to five-year
terms; judicial--Supreme Court
Leaders: Ramsewak SHANKAR, President (since January 1988);
Henck ARRON, Vice President (since February 1988)
Suffrage: universal adult
Elections: last 25 November 1987, next scheduled for 1992
Political parties and leaders: 25 February Movement established by
Lt. Col. Desire Bouterse in November 1983, but much of its
activity taken over by New Democratic Party (NDP) in May 1987; leftists (all
small groups)--Revolutionary People's Party (RVP), Michael Naarendorp;
Progressive Workers and Farmers (PALU), Iwan Krolis; traditional
parties--Progressive Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath Lachmon; National Party
of Suriname (NPS), Henck Arron; Indonesian Peasants Party (KTPI), Willy Soemita;
the VHP, NPS, and KTPI formed a coalition known as The Front in July 1987 that
overwhelmingly defeated the NDP in the November 1987 elections
Member of: ECLA, FAO, GATT, G-77, IBA, IBRD, ICAO,
IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM,
OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Arnold T. HALFHIDE; Chancery at
Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 244-7488 or 7490 through 7492; there is a Surinamese
Consulate General in Miami;
US--Ambassador Richard HOWLAND; Embassy at Dr. Sophie Redmonstraat
129, Paramaribo (mailing address is P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo);
telephone [597] 72900 or 76459
Flag: five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red
(quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large yellow
five-pointed star centered in the red band
Economy
Overview: The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts
for about 80% of export earnings and 40% of tax revenues. The economy has been
in decline since the Dutch ended development aid in 1982. Adding to economic
problems has been a drop in world bauxite prices that started in the late 1970s
and continued until late 1986. In mid-1986 the economy suffered as a result of
an outbreak of guerrilla insurgency in the interior. The guerrillas targeted the
economic infrastructure, crippling the critical bauxite sector and shutting down
important export industries. These problems have created both high inflation and
high unemployment.
GDP: $1.19 billion, per capita $2800; real growth rate - 8.4% (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 53.4% (1987)
Unemployment rate: 32% (1987 est.)
Budget: revenues $346 million; expenditures $650 million,
including capital expenditures of $25 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $338.8 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--alumina,
bauxite, aluminum, rice, wood and wood products, shrimp and fish, bananas;
partners--Netherlands 25%, Norway 22%, US 20%, Japan 13%, Brazil
7%, UK 4%
Imports: $274.3 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--capital
equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods;
partners--US 31%, Netherlands 20%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%, Brazil
9%, UK 2%
External debt: $161 million (1987)
Industrial production: growth rate - 3.1% (1986)
Electricity: 439,000 kW capacity; 1,922 million kWh produced,
4,870 kWh per capita (1988)
Industries: bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production,
lumbering, food processing, fishing
Agriculture: rice, bananas, palm oil, timber
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $2.5 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-86), $1.4 billion
Currency: Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (plural--guilders,
gulden, or florins); 1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.)
per US$1--1.7850 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 166 km total; 86 km 1.000-meter gauge, government owned, and 80
km 1.435-meter standard gauge; all single track
Highways: 8,300 km total; 500 km paved; 5,400 km bauxite gravel,
crushed stone, or improved earth; 2,400 km sand or clay
Inland waterways: 1,200 km; most important means of transport; oceangoing
vessels with drafts ranging from 4.2 m to 7 m can navigate many of the principal
waterways
Ports: Paramaribo, Moengo
Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
6,472 GRT/8,914 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 container
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Airports: 47 total, 43 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with
runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: international facilities good; domestic radio relay
system; 27,500 telephones; stations--5 AM, 14 FM, 6 TV, 1 shortwave; 2 Atlantic